Prognosis of testicular cancer

Testicular cancer can affect men of any age. But the age group most affected by testicular cancer is between the ages of twenty five and thirty five.

Testicular cancer is not a common cancer and it is highly treatable if detected early enough. The men that are at higher risk for developing testicular cancer are those who are white, have a family history of testicular cancer or they may have had an undescended testicle as an infant.

A diagnosis of testicular cancer can be made after a visit to the doctor. The doctor will give you a physical exam and take a full health history from you. He may then order blood tests and an ultrasound to determine if there is a tumor in the testicle.

Another method of detecting testicular cancer is for a surgeon to remove the testicle through a small incision in the groin. Tissue samples are then taken from the testicle to determine if cancer cells are present. If there are cancerous cells present in the testicle, the entire testicle will be removed.

If cancer is detected in the testicle, your doctor will determine if the cancer has spread to other parts of your body. The treatment and prognosis for testicular cancer will depend on the extent of cancer throughout the body.

Survival rates of cancer patients are usually calculated by studying a large group of cancer patients that undergo treatment. A lot of times, the five year survival rate is a term that you will come across. This simply means the percentage of people who are alive after five years of the cancer diagnosis and are cancer free or receiving treatment.

The stage of testicular cancer will play a huge role in your prognosis for survival. Historical data shows that seventy percent of men will be diagnosed with testicular cancer while it is still in the localized stage. This means that the cancer is contained to the testicle and has not spread. The five year survival rate for localized testicular cancer is ninety nine point five percent.

Eighteen percent of testicular cancer is detected when it is in the regional stage. This means that the cancer cells have spread to the regional lymph nodes or it has spread to the areas directly beyond the testicle. The five year survival rate for regional testicular cancer is ninety six point three percent.

Eleven percent of testicular cancers are detected when the cancer has reached the distant stage. This means that the cancer has spread way beyond the testicle and traveled to other parts of the body. The five year survival rate for the distant stage of testicular cancer is seventy point one percent.

To have a good prognosis for survival with testicular cancer, you need to seek treatment as early as possible. The sooner that treatment of testicular cancer begin the better your chances are of becoming cancer free.

RESOURCES

Cancer Research UK: Testicular Statistics and outlook

MedlinePlus: Testicular Cancer

American Cancer Society: Testicular Cancer

National Cancer Insitute: Treatment Option Overview

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center: Lymph Node Removal and Prognosis in Testicular Cancer

Cleveland Clinic: Understand Your Options for Testicular Cancer treatment